Means for holding a cover for a beehive box or the like



March 1937- R. s. WHITEHOUSE 2,075,313

MEANS FOR HOLDING A COVER FOR A BEEHIVE BOX OR THE LIKE Filed Nov. 8, 1935 Patented Mar. 30, 1937 UNITE TENT OFFICE MEANS FOR, HOLDING A COVER FGR BEE- HEVE BOX OR, THE LIKE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for holding a cover for a beehive box or the like in place.

It is customary to make the cover for a beehive box loose fitting so that it may readily be put on and removed from the body of said box. For instance, the body of a beehive box which measures at the top 20" 16 outside is commonly provided with a cover which measures 20 x 16%" inside, thereby providing a clearance all around between said cover and body, which experience shows is desirable. In order to hold these covers on, substantial stones or weights are placed on top of them, as otherwise, the wind would frequently lift them ofi, with resultant damage to the bees.

One object of my invention is to provide a device which will firmly hold the cover on the body of a beehive box.

Another object is to make my device so simple and effective that merely placing the cover on the said body with a slight extra motion or two is all that is necessary to practically lock the cover in place.

Another object is to so construct my device that the cover may readily be removed from the said body with only an extra motion or two.

A further object is to so construct my device that it will be inexpensive to produce, simple to attach to a beehive box, and easy to use both in putting the cover on and taking it oil, as well as durable.

The foregoing and other objects which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction, combination and arrangement of parts such as is disclosed by the drawing and specification. The nature of the invention is such as to render it susceptible to various changes and modifications, and, therefore, I am not to be limited to said disclosure; but am entitled to all such changes therefrom as fall within the scope of my claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a beehive box, my holding bars attached to the box cover being illustrated by the dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of my holding bars and Figure 4 is a perspective view of another.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

My holding bars are particularly adaptable to a beehive box to hold the outside cover on; and

are also useful to hold the cover on other types of receptacles.

As illustrated, a beehive box or container 5 is shown which is commonly made of wood and consists of a body 6 and a cover I which has downwardly extending sides 8. These covers I are purposely made to fit loosely on said body 6, so that there is a space between the inside of said cover I and the outside of the body 6. A top or inner cover ll having a bee opening I2 is also a part of the regular beehive box and as illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawing said sides 8 extend below said inner cover H.

I provide a bar member 54 made of spring material to firmly hold said cover 1 in place on said body. This bar !4 is preferably made of metal and I have found metal of .018 thickness suitable. Said bar M consists of a straight or attaching portion 6 5 having holes Hi to receive screws l! which enter one of said cover sides 8. Sair bar it is screwed to a portion of said side 8 ata point low enough so that the prongs l9 will enter said body 6 and not said inner cover H. Said bar M is preferably fastened to the front side of said cover '3 when using it on a beehive box. Said bar M has a bend or bowed portion l8 on either side of said straight portion I5, from which project prongs Iii made integral therewith. It will be noted that said bar I4, by

reason of said bowed portions l8, fills the space between said cover i and body 6 and that said prongs l9 enter said body 6 and thereby fasten said cover to said body. Said bends l8 are under pressure between said cover I and body 6, and being of spring material they resume their original shape, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, when the pressure is released by lifting the said cover I off the body 6. The number of bends iii in a bar 54 may be varied from one up, depending largely upon the size of the cover side 8. This is also true of said prongs IS. The ends of said bar I are turned over somewhat as at 20 so that they will not dig into said cover 1. When said cover 1 is placed on said body 6 the side 8 having said bar i4 attached thereto is put on first and the cover is then drawn towards the opposite side thereby compressing said bends I8 and causing said prongs 59 to pierce said body, whereupon the remainder of said cover is put on. The

bends still remain under some pressure because the space between said body and cover is less than the distance said bends I8 project inwardly from said straight portion l5. To remove the cover the back side, which is opposite the bar I4, is drawn towards the back, thereby separatof the cover, to which said bar I4 is attached,

is pushed away from said body 6, and the remainder of the cover israised from. said body.

The use of said resilient bar H on one side 8 of said cover '1' is usually suflicient to securely hold said cover on said body; but under some circumstances another holding bar 22 may be used. This bar 22 is preferably straight and made of non-spring material, and has an in-- tegral prong 23 projecting outwardly. It is preferably fastened to the back side of said cover opposite the side said resilient bar I4 is fastened to, being held thereto by screws 24 which are accommodated by openings 25 made in said bar 22.

When said straight bar 22 is used the cover 1 is placed on said body by first placing the front side, having said resilient bar I 4, on first and then pulling said cover towards the opposite or back side, thereby compressing said bends I8 and providing clearance between said prong 23 and said body 6 so that the remainder of said cover may be set down on said body. Upon release of said cover the natural resiliency of said bends 18, which are under compression, will draw the back side of said cover towards the front, thereby causing said prong 23 to enter said body 6. It will thus be seen that the prongs l9 and 23 hold opposite sides 8 of said cover to said body, making it impossible to remove said cover unless some human agency does it. Said cover is removed by first freeing the back side to which said bar 22 is fastened by pulling said cover towards the back side as previously described and thereby freeing said bar 22 f said body and lifting that side off thebody, and then pushing the front side away and lifting the remainder of the cover off.

} While I have shown and described said bars I4 and 22 fastened to said cover I they would be effective if they were fastened to said body 6' instead of said cover.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a box for beehives or the like comprising a body and a cover embodying downwardly extending sides fitting over said body, and a resilient bar member having a bend therein fastened to one of said cover sides, said resilient bar member being in contact with said cover and body when said cover is on said body, and embodying an, outwardly projecting prong penetrating said body. I

2. In combination, a box for beehives or the like comprising a body and a cover embodying downwardly extending sides fitting over said body, and a resilient bar member fastened to an inner portion of one of said cover sides having a bend therein extending inwardly within said cover, towards said body, said bar member embodying projecting means within said cover adapted to enter said body to thereby fasten said cover to said body. 7

3. In combination, a boxfor beehives or the like comprising a body and a cover embodying downwardly extending sides fitting over said body, and a resilient bar member fastened to an inner portion of said cover sidesand beingin contact with said body and having a bend therein extending inwardly within said cover, said bar member embodying a prong projecting from said bend inwardly within'said cover and entering said body to thereby fasten said cover to said body. p

4. In combination, a box for beehives or thelike comprising a body, an inner cover resting on top of said body and a cover embodying downwardly extending sides fitting over said inner cover and a portion of said body, said sides extendihgdownwardly below the bottom of said inner cover, and a resilient bar member embody ing a bowed portion fastened to one of said cover sides and extending lower than said inner cover and embodying a prong projecting inwardly within said cover and entering said body to thereby fasten said cover to said body.

5..In,combination, a box for beehives or the like comprising a body and a cover embodying downwardly extending sides fitting over said body, and a resilient bar member fastened to one of said cover sides having a bowed portion extending towards and contacting with said body and embodying a prong projecting therefrom and penetrating said body, and a bar member fastened to another said cover side opposite the first-mentioned one embodying 2. prong project ing therefrom and penetrating said body. 6. In combination, a box for beehivesor the like, comprising a body, an inner cover resting on top of said body and a cover embodyingdowm wardly extending sides fitting over saidinner cover and a portion of said body, said sides ex- ,7

tending downwardly below the bottom of said inner cover, and a resilient bar member embodying a bowed portion fastened to one of said cover sides and extending lower than said inner cover and embodying 2. prong projecting therefrom and penetrating said body, and a bar-member fastened to another said cover side opposite the first mentioned one embodying a prongprojecting therefrom andpenetrating said body.

7. In combination, a box for beehives or the like, comprising a body, an inner cover resting on top of said body and a cover embodying downwardly extending sides fitting over said inner cover and a portion of said body, said sides extending downwardly below the bottom of said inner cover, and a resilient bar member embodying an attaching portion adapted to be attached to one of said cover sides and embodying a bowed portion on each side of said attaching portion and a prong projecting from each of said bowed portions and penetrating said body, and a flat bar member fastened to another said cover side.

opposite the first-mentioned one embodying a prong projecting therefrom and penetrating said body.

8. A member. adapted to be fastened to the: downwardly depending sideof a cover and hold it on the body of a beehive box or thelike, em-

bodying two resilient, curved bends therein and a single, straight, attaching portion between and joining said bends, the curvature of said bends commencing directly at the ends of said straight, attaching portion, each of said bends having 9. prong integral therewith and projecting outwardly therefrom in a direction away from said attaching portion.

. 9. In combination, a' box for-beehives or the like comprising a body and a cover embodying downwardly extending sides fittingover and outside of said body, and a resilient bar member having a bend therein fastened to one of said cover sides, said bend projecting outwardly from I said side, said resilient bar member being in pressing engagement with the outside surface of said body when said cover is on said body.

REUBEN s. WHITEI-IOUSE. 

